1. Technical Field
This application relates to a surgical stapling device. More particularly, this application relates to a surgical stapling device having an improved tip construction for dissecting and/or separating tissue.
2. Related Art
Surgical stapling or fastener-applying devices for joining tissue are well known. Typically, such devices include opposing jaw structure for grasping and clamping selected tissue, wherein one of the jaws of the opposing jaw structure includes a cartridge which houses a plurality of staples or fasteners and the other jaw includes an anvil for formation of the fastener. In some instruments, a knife is provided to cut tissue which has been joined by the staples or fasteners.
Linear surgical stapling devices, for example, include two elongated jaw members which are relatively moveable to capture or clamp tissue. Typically one of the jaw members includes a cartridge which houses a plurality of staples arranged in two or more linear rows and the other member includes an anvil having a plurality of staple forming pockets for receiving and forming the legs of the staples. A knife is often movably positioned between the linear rows of staples such that when the stapling device is positioned about tissue and actuated, the tissue is joined and/or simultaneously or nearly simultaneously cut. Often, a surgical device separate from the stapling device is used to dissect or separate certain adherent tissue from target tissue before the target tissue and/or the certain adherent tissue is operated upon. These procedures require extra steps and devices and can be time consuming and expensive especially during endoscopic procedures.
Accordingly, a continuing need exists in the art for a device which can be used not only to join and cut tissue but also to separate or dissect tissue, e.g., when the jaw members are in an open position.